Cyclone Debbie to suspend coal exports for five weeks

In Australia, rail lines for transporting coal in Queensland are expected to close for five weeks after Tropical Cyclone Debbie. Market participants said that it would be logical for buyers to start looking for alternative supply options from the US and Russia.

The other three rail systems - Aurizon, Blackwater and Moura - are also currently closed, with rebuilds estimated to range from days to weeks, the company said.

This could potentially lead to a 15-20 million tonne restriction on coal exports, according to three separate sources, with serious implications for global offshore coal supplies.

Queensland is the world's largest coal export basin. Cyclone Debbie forced the shutdown last Tuesday, and resuming production will be less urgent if coal cannot be delivered to export terminals.